Spectrum was beginning to admire the caves. The ice was amazing! When it was starting to turn slightly green, she looked to the filly in time to see her slip. She lunged forward and grabbed the back of her neck with her teeth. The move caused her front hooves to fall out from beneath her, and her knees crashed painfully against the ice. She let out a grunt of pain, but she didn't drop the filly. She dug her back hooves into the ice to keep them grounded, and pulled the foal closer, saying I gotcha. It's alright, I gotcha. She went to help her to her hooves, giving a comforting nuzzle while doing so. She really hoped this was the last "surprise" of the day. Her knees weren't fond of the prospect of falling again.

Her withers stung where she'd been grabbed, but at least she hadn't gone careening over the ice. Leaning against Spectrum's back leg to help her balance as they both got their hooves back under control she gave the hardest stomp she could and declared the ice Mean!

With a snort she started forward again, making sure to at least keep her tail within easy reach of her friend's teeth - they had to watch each other's backs in here. The green tint to the light was getting stronger as it reflected in the ice. Craning her neck she managed to peek around one last bend early, letting out an excited squawk as she leaped forward out of sight. Not that she'd admit to it being a squawk; she certainly wasn't capable of making such undignified sounds.

Up ahead she saw the ice finally give way - the ice cave was an ice tunnel. Lush grass sprang up under the bright sun which shone off the ice-coated walls all around. The roof gave way entirely, making it seem as little more than a ring of ice with various openings; the one they'd come from was far from the only one. AuraSidra was too excited to think of something practical like finding a way to mark their entrance in order to get back; in the midst of all that grass lay a beautiful garden, what looked to her to be a small and well cared for patch of forest with the many flowers, bushes, fruits, berries and trees that created a meandering trail for them to wander.

In the very center, over a raised dais that held a ring of mushrooms and flowers, was the oddly pulsing and flickering light. As she watched she slipped again into a trance; she felt it happening this time and was oddly unafraid. At least this time she had a reference for what was happening.

Moving without realizing it she followed the glowing pulse, stumbling now and again over a root or stone. By now it was the only thing she could see. There might have been a hint of a shape in the very middle of the pulsating light... If she could just get a little closer to see!

Spectrum saw the light. Oh, how she saw it. Her eyes flicked towards the foal as she started moving closer. She stayed close by, but returned her attention to the light. It was very pretty to say the least. It reminded her of a pixie she saw once. It had thrown a rain drop at her and then flown away giggling. She could see the subtlest outline of a shape inside the light. She squinted her eyes and moved closer trying to get a better look. Then she giggled. Out of nowhere she just felt...giddy! She did a little dance in place, not able to stand still. She couldn't stop smiling, and she had the sudden urge to take some of the berries and offer them to the pretty light. She gathered a few in her teeth and carefully layed them before the light, stepping back to await instructions.

The light grew brighter as Spectrum laughed and, faintly, AuraSidra saw the figure within stir. Once it reached an intensity that would be blinding for most Serians she felt something other than trance-like wonder began to seep through; alarm.

We should go, she said faintly, tilting an ear back as the flickering glow began to render their surroundings nearly invisible. We should go... 'Pectrum, run!

Spinning in a circle and attempting to grab the mare's tail and pull as hard as she could, the filly tore off into a random tunnel as fast as possible. Slipping and stumbling, she lost count of how many times she fell; it didn't matter though. She had to get away from the reach of that light!

Spectrum turned to the filly when she spoke and saw the alarm on her little face. At the tug and urge to run she giggled and began playing chase too. She quickly followed after, staying just enough far back to keep the game going. She giggled again before running slightly faster and reaching to brush the cute little filly with her muzzle as she pulled in front. This is fun!

This mare is insane - but whatever, as long as she keeps up, the filly thought, stretching her legs as far as they could go. No sooner had the thought formed than she felt a great whoosh behind her and a vast sense of... Absence.

Scrambling to a stop, she turned around and felt her jaw drop open. Where the light, garden and caverns had been there was now a great void; nothing but dirt. And the snow was coming down heavier than ever. Nobody would be able to see the charred and blackened earth before long.

Panting, sweating and shaking, AuraSidra looked back the way she'd been running - there was still ice there, stretching for as far as she could see. A maze of caverns awaited her; somehow she had to find a way back home. And at that realization she was suddenly, fiercely homesick.

And so, she flopped down on her little tummy and began to have herself a good hard cry.